U.S. Senate eyes tightened restrictions on Chinese language semiconductors By Reuters

By Patricia Zengerle

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The Democratic chief of the U.S. Senate urged lawmakers on Monday to again his proposal to bar the U.S. authorities from doing enterprise with firms that use semiconductors made by producers the Pentagon considers Chinese language army contractors.

“If American enterprise desires the federal authorities to purchase their services or products, they should not be utilizing the form of Chinese language-made chips that, due to Chinese language authorities involvement, put our nationwide safety in danger,” Senator Chuck Schumer mentioned in remarks opening the Senate after its Thanksgiving vacation recess. “We’d like our authorities and our financial system to depend on chips made proper right here in America.”

Schumer and Republican Senator John Cornyn launched their proposal as an modification to the Nationwide Protection Authorization Act, or NDAA, an annual invoice setting coverage for the Division of Protection anticipated to cross the Senate and Home of Representatives in December.

As one of many solely main items of laws Congress passes yearly, the NDAA is intently watched by a broad swath of business and different pursuits as a result of it determines every little thing from purchases of ships and plane to pay will increase for the troops and how one can tackle geopolitical threats.

Lawmakers additionally use the invoice as a automobile for a variety of coverage measures. The proposal from Schumer and Cornyn would broaden an current ban on authorities use of Chinese language chips.

The 2023 NDAA authorizes greater than $800 billion in spending.

“We have to keep powerful on the Chinese language authorities and its actions,” Schumer mentioned.